AuroraNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Aurora Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 6 council seats are on the ballot, with 5 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 5 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

Find your match: 5-question quizSee who is on your ballot

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Last day to register to vote at the courthouse (Oct 23): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

All Aurora voters choose the mayor, and voters in each ward elect one council member; only the Ward 3 race has more than one candidate.

Last day to register to vote at the courthouse · Oct 23

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

What the next council decides

01Budget and property taxes4 sourced facts

Where it standsOn Sept. 22, 2026, the council adopted the 2026-27 budget and a property tax request of $2,195,400 for the general fund and $419,000 for bonds.

What's on the tableThe next council will write the 2027-28 budget and decide how much property tax to request.

02City money for outside groups3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn 2026 the council split on funding requests from outside groups, and the mayor cast deciding votes for the health department and the Chamber of Commerce.

What's on the tableEach year the council decides which outside organizations get city money in the budget.

03Ambulance service3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council approved a contract with EMS Unlimited to provide emergency medical services for Aurora and Hamilton County.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee the EMS Unlimited contract and decide what happens when it comes up for renewal.

04Sewer rates and plant debt2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council set annual sewer rates through 2031 and created a debt service fee through 2033.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee the rate schedule and the wastewater plant expansion debt it helps pay.

05City employee pay and benefits2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2026 the council approved a new city pay scale 4-1, after a first 3-2 vote fell short of the required majority of all elected members.

What's on the tableThe next council will set city pay and benefits in future budgets.

1 note on these statements

Harlan Schafer (Mayor), Jannelle Seim (Ward 1) and Kirk W. Handrup (Ward 2) are the only candidates on the ballot for their offices. Hamilton County

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. How much property tax should Aurora request each year?

  2. 2. Should the city budget include money for outside groups such as the health department, nonprofits and the Chamber of Commerce?

  3. 3. How should Aurora provide ambulance service?

  4. 4. Should sewer customers pay a debt service fee to help pay for the wastewater plant expansion?

  5. 5. Should Aurora adopt the new, higher city employee pay scale?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted8 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Esther Bergen, Todd Jensen3 on this ballot

6 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works

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